The Innocent Sleep

Down and out in London, Alan (Graves) witnesses the assassination of a businessman, left hanging under Tower Bridge. At the local police station, he's horrified to recognise Insp Stephens (Gambon) from the crime. While Stephens sets about tying up this unexpected loose end, Alan begs reporter Billie Hayman (Sciorra) to check out his story. From the very first sequence, Michell's directorial debut belies its no-budget origins to take us on a journey from the fetid humanity of Cardboard City to the cold, hidden bastions of power. Some of the supporting turns are uneven (Crowden holds nothing back as an alcoholic tramp with useful connections), and Ray Villis's underwritten script runs out of ingenuity on the final lap, but Michell keeps the pacing tight and enlists some lively work from Sciorra and Graves (much more interesting now he's out of those linen suits). It's a classical, rather old-fashioned film, with a symphonic score by Mark Ayres and impressive 'Scope cinematography by Alan Dunlop.